A Section 8 housing tenant can only be evicted for ‘good cause’

There was a recent court decision concerning Section 8 housing. A tenant rented a house and received federal Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments. The rental was also located in Los Angeles which has a local rent ordinance. The tenant began renting the home in 2003...

Federal law might control California evictions

Last month, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that a mortgage company cannot evict a tenant in a home that had been foreclosed. As the new owner the mortgage company failed to give the tenant a 90-day notice to pay rent or move out under a federal law. As a...

Covenant of Quiet Enjoyment and your lease

In California, every rental agreement contains the implied covenant of quiet enjoyment. ‘Implied’ means even if the covenant is not explicitedly stated in the lease it still exists. This covenant means that landlord cannot do two things. The landlord cannot lease the...

Illegal short-term rentals

Your landlord rents your next door apartment to strangers for short-term rentals. You notice that about every 10 days, a stranger appears at the door of the apartment and picks up the morning paper. You suspect this type of short term rental is not allowed under the...

Bad faith owner move-in?

You are a long-term San Francisco tenant of at least 10 years. You live in a building built before 1979. Then you receive a 60 day termination of tenancy from your landlord that she wants to move into your home and you have to leave. Most landlord owner move-in...